Dec. 13, 2000

Chapel Hill, N.C. - The University of North Carolina track & field program has announced the team's top recruits for the 2001-02 season. Joining the team in the fall of 2001 will be Erin Donahue (Haddonfield, NJ), Laura Gerraughty (Nausha, N.H.), Vikas Gowda (Frederick, Md.), Danny Johnson (Rahway, N.J) and Brian McGovern (Newtown, Conn.).

Donahue, who competed at Haddonfield High, was the 1999 National Scholastics mile champion and also placed sixth in the javelin. She earned All-America honors by placing third in the mile and second in the javelin at the outdoor National Scholastic championship. Donahue is a two-time New Jersey All-Group State cross country champion and was a Footlocker National cross country finalist as a sophomore. Dohohue's personal bests include a 4:48 mile, 2:11 in the 800m and a javelin throw of 147-7.

Gerraughty, a shot putter from Nashua High School, placed fourth in the world junior championships and was a U.S. junior national champion. She was an indoor and outdoor National Scholastic champion and national high school performance leader with a put of 51-11. Gerraughty also placed third in the hammer at the U.S. junior championships and ranked second in the nation last year in the hammer.

Gowda attends Frederick High School and competes in the shot put and discus. Gowda was the Maryland state champion in both events and placed third at the outdoor National Scholastic in the discus. At 6-8, 250 pounds, Gowda is considered one of the top thrower recruits on the East Coast.

Johnson, a former soccer player at Rahway High, was the New Jersey state champion in the 200m and runner up in the 100m. After having competed in track for only two years, Johnson boasts personal bests of 10.44 in the 100m and 21.03 in the 200m.

McGovern, from Fairfield Prep, is a two-time Footlocker cross country finalist and an All America in cross country his junior year placing, 15th at the Footlocker Nationals as the fourth-highest junior. A two-time New England cross country champion, his personal bests include 4:14 in the mile and 9:22 for the two mile.